Prosecutors: Man said anger caused him to fatally beat toddler

A Chicago man charged with killing the 18-month-old son of his live-in girlfriend admitted that he repeatedly punched the toddler in the face and chest because he was angry, prosecutors said today.

When doctors at the University of Chicago Comer Children’s Hospital examined the body of Adonis Bright, they found multiple “healing” fractures of the ribs in leg, indicating prior abuse, according to prosecutors.

Bail was denied for Tinnell Smith, 23, who is charged with first-degree murder in Adonis’ death.

Prosecutors said the boy’s mother had gone to the store Sunday evening and left her son in Smith’s care in the Bronzeville neighborhood home they shared in the 4200 block of South Calumet Avenue. She came home some time later to find a bloody blanket on the floor in the front room.

When she knocked on the bathroom door, Smith answered that he was in the bathroom “cleaning up blood on the victim,” said Assistant State’s Attorney Chris Costello.

The mother kept knocking, and when Smith finally opened the door, she saw her son lying limp on the floor, bleeding profusely. Costello said. Adonis was taken to the hospital, where he was pronounced dead at 10 p.m. Monday.

Adonis had bruising to his face and body, pulmonary contusions and head injuries, officials said. An autopsy determined that he suffered multiple injuries consistent with child abuse, and the Cook County medical examiner's office ruled the death a homicide.

Police said Smith originally told investigators that the boy had fallen out of his crib. But he later gave a statement to police admitting he became angry and punched the boy in the face and chest four to five times, according to prosecutors.

Costello said the boy had twice been previously hospitalized for leg fractures and bruising to his face.

Last August, the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services investigated an allegation of abuse against the boy's mother that was deemed to be unfounded, agency spokesman Kendall Marlowe said. In September the agency began offering support services to the family, he said.

In April, the office opened an investigation of abuse against the mother of the boy. That was still pending at the time of Adonis’ death. A younger sibling of the boy was taken from the home after Adonis’ death and has been placed in foster care, Marlowe said.

Smith, who has no criminal background, appeared in court dressed in a paper jail-issued jumpsuit. His attorney said Smith is unemployed and has a hearing disability.